On June 14, Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents prevented a human smuggling attempt at the Interstate Highway 35 (IH-35) checkpoint north of Laredo, Texas. USCBP Image for illustration purposes
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LAREDO, Texas – On June 14, Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents prevented a human smuggling attempt at the Interstate Highway 35 (IH-35) checkpoint north of Laredo, Texas.
The incident occurred early in the morning when a tractor-trailer approached the primary inspection lane at the IH-35 checkpoint. During an immigration inspection of the driver, a Service canine alerted to the vehicle, prompting agents to refer the driver to secondary inspection. The driver, as he made his way to the secondary inspection area, proceeded to drive through a non-intrusive imaging scan which revealed the presence of individuals inside the trailer. Agents discovered approximately 80 undocumented individuals inside.
The undocumented individuals were identified as being from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. All subjects, including the drivers, were medically screened, and provided with personal protective equipment. They were taken into custody to be processed accordingly.
Help us take a stand against criminal smuggling organizations by reporting suspicious activity to the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll free at 1-800-343-1994.
Packages containing nearly 30 pounds of methamphetamine seized by CBP officers at Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville. USCBP Image
Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Gateway International Bridge seized $595,242 in methamphetamine.
“Our officers remain vigilant in their duties of securing our borders and their efforts led to this significant seizure,” said Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry.
The seizure took place on Tuesday, June 14, at the Gateway International Bridge when an 18-year-old male United States citizen who resides in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, attempted entry into the United States driving a 2008 Chrysler. The vehicle was referred to CBP secondary for further examination after a primary inspection. While in the secondary inspection area, with the aid of a canine unit and a non-intrusive inspection system (NII), CBP officers discovered three packages hidden within the vehicle. CBP officers removed the packages which contained a total of 29.76 pounds of alleged methamphetamine.
The estimated street value of the narcotics from the seizure is approximately $595,242.
CBP officers seized the narcotics along with the vehicle, arrested the traveler and turned him over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for further investigation.
Champion Lakes will be hosting the 20th Texas Regional Bank McAllen Amateur Golf Championship June 24 – June 26, 2022 at the Champion Lakes Golf Course in McAllen.
Monica Mendez of Port Lavaca pleaded guilty to 26 felony counts of voter fraud, including three counts of illegal voting, eight counts of election fraud, seven counts of assisting a voter to submit a ballot by mail, and eight counts of unlawful possession of a mail ballot. Image for illustration purposes
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AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his office’s latest election integrity prosecution in Victoria County. Monica Mendez of Port Lavaca pleaded guilty to 26 felony counts of voter fraud, including three counts of illegal voting, eight counts of election fraud, seven counts of assisting a voter to submit a ballot by mail, and eight counts of unlawful possession of a mail ballot. Mendez ran a vote-harvesting operation on behalf of a subsidized housing corporation in order to influence the outcome of a utility board election.
After Mendez entered a guilty plea on all 26 counts and confirmed in court that all counts could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, District Judge Eli Garza sentenced Mendez to five years’ deferred adjudication probation.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by Attorney General Paxton’s Election Integrity team in cooperation with the Victoria County District Attorney’s Office.
Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement celebrating the Texas Workforce Commission’s release of May employment numbers showing continuing economic expansion as Texas employers added 74,200 jobs over the month, more than any other state, and again smashing all previous records for total jobs at 13,357,100. Image for illustration purposes
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AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement celebrating the Texas Workforce Commission’s release of May employment numbers showing continuing economic expansion as Texas employers added 74,200 jobs over the month, more than any other state, and again smashing all previous records for total jobs at 13,357,100.
“Texas again leads the nation for job creation thanks to continuing investments by innovative, resilient Texas businesses and the best workforce in America,” said Governor Abbott. “More Texans are working than ever before as we again break all previous records for total jobs. This economic momentum in the Lone Star State, despite the challenges businesses are facing across the country, is more proof that of the two competing economic models in our nation—offering the freedom to succeed versus strangling businesses with overregulation and over-taxation—the Texas model works. I look forward to continuing working with businesses large and small as we spur ongoing job creation and expanding opportunity for Texans in all regions of this great state.”
With still open availability each weekend form July 11 – 31, children ages 5-14 are welcomed to the outdoor, adventure-based education camp that provides all students with a wide range of activities and programs that enhance classroom learning. Image for illustration purposes
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RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas – Adventure awaits students this summer at Camp RIO in Brownsville for July. With still open availability each weekend form July 11 – 31, children ages 5-14 are welcomed to the outdoor, adventure-based education camp that provides all students with a wide range of activities and programs that enhance classroom learning.
Activities at the summer camp include archery, plant and animal identification, team building, canoeing and skills for children and adults to become leaders in life. New to this year’s summer camp is a swimming pool for children to enjoy water sports activities.
“We are very excited to welcome kids back for overnight summer camps this year,” said Camp RIO Director, Nancy Mance. “Our campers will get to have fun in the sun while learning and staying active. The lessons they learn at Camp RIO will last a lifetime.”
Summer camps are still available in July as campers from across the state will begin arriving for the first week of overnight camp. Spots are also still open for overnight camps. Dates for day or overnight camps are the weekends of July 11-17, July 18-24, and July 25-31. Students do not need to be enrolled at IDEA Public Schools in order to attend.
All safety protocols are in place. For more information on Camp RIO or to enroll a child, please visit www.camprio.orgor call 956-204-0036.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Tuesday that the volleyball team will host the 2022 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament after playing a schedule that features 29 matches, including 11 at home. Image for illustration purposes
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RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Tuesday that the volleyball team will host the 2022 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament after playing a schedule that features 29 matches, including 11 at home.
This is the second time UTRGV has hosted the WAC Tournament after doing so in 2017. UTRGV welcomed two of the nine largest crowds in program history during that tournament, including a then-program record 1,634 fans for the championship match against CSU Bakersfield, a total that now ranks second, and 1,256 fans for the semifinal match against Utah Valley, a figure that ranked third at the time and now ranks ninth in program history.
In total, the Vaqueros will host 19 matches at the UTRGV Fieldhouse, including matches as part of both a non-conference tournament Sept. 9-10 and the WAC Tournament Nov. 17-19.
Season tickets, which include tickets to all 19 matches, are on sale now and can be purchased online at UTRGVTickets.com or by contacting the UTRGV Athletics Ticket Office team of Ryela Rodriguez (956-329-0884) and Eddie Galvan (956-222-2935) over the phone or through email at tickets@utrgv.edu.
“We’re super excited to be hosting the WAC Tournament.” UTRGV head coach Todd Lowery said. “The last time we hosted we had a super fun environment, and it was great for our young women to participate in that. I think for the community to see a weekend of championship-style volleyball is so much fun, and to have it here on our campus is great.”
UTRGV opens the season at the North Texas Invite with matches against UNLV, Jacksonville, and North Texas Aug. 26-27 before playing the home opener against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as part of the South Texas Showdown, presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union, on Aug. 30.
UTRGV takes part in the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic with matches against UTSA, host Louisiana and Arkansas-Pine Bluff Sept. 2-3 and visits Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as part of the South Texas Showdown, presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union, on Sept. 6 before returning home to host a four-match tournament. UTRGV hosts Montana on Sept. 9 and 10 and Prairie View A&M on Sept. 10, while Montana faces Prairie View A&M to open the tournament on Sept. 9.
UTRGV closes out non-conference play with the Red Raider Classic against SMU, host Texas Tech, and Oral Roberts Sept. 16-17 and a trip to UTEP on Sept. 20.
“It’s important for us to have a really competitive non-conference schedule to get ready for WAC play,” Lowery said. “As the WAC continues to develop, we need to continue to develop our non-conference schedule to keep up with it. Having teams like Texas Tech and UTSA on the schedule will be fun. Louisiana just continues to get better. I expect them to be at the top of the Sun Belt Conference this year. We have the showdown against Corpus Christi and a match at UTEP as well. Those were tremendously competitive matches last year. There are a lot of fun matches on the schedule that are going to get us ready for WAC play.”
UTRGV opens WAC play with three-straight home matches, including Sept. 24 against Incarnate Word, Sept. 29 against Utah Tech, and Oct. 1 against Southern Utah.
UTRGV plays four of the next five on the road, with a home match against New Mexico State on Oct. 13 sandwiched by weekend trips to Sam Houston and Lamar Oct. 6-8 and Grand Canyon and California Baptist Oct. 20-22.
UTRGV hosts Stephen F. Austin on Oct. 27 and UT Arlington on Oct. 29 before visiting Seattle U on Nov. 3, Utah Valley on Nov. 5, and Abilene Christian on Nov. 10.
UTRGV closes out WAC play at home on Nov. 12 against Tarleton.
The top eight teams advance to the WAC Tournament. The winner earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
UTRGV won the WAC Tournament in 2016, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Vaqueros returned to the postseason last year, taking part in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
“The WAC just continues to get better.” Lowery said. “New Mexico State continues to recruit well and get transfers that are on an elite level. Grand Canyon continues to get better. Utah Valley has won the WAC Tournament the last two years. All three of those schools – their size is just something we’re going to have to find a way to deal with. I think that our non-conference schedule, with teams like UTEP and Texas Tech, teams that have a lot of size, is going to prepare us well.
“The WAC schedule is different this year as we don’t play home and away – we play everyone once – so we’re going to have be really focused in on that one. I think we have a pretty good balance of competition between our home and road schedules. I really think seeding will come down to that last weekend. I think with the announcement of Utah Tech and Tarleton being postseason eligible, that last match against Tarleton’s going to be huge. We’ve been really competitive with Tarleton that last few years, and I can’t think of a better match at home to wrap up with before we go into the conference tournament.”
The South Padre Island and Port Isabel Chambers of Commerce joined together Thursday, June 16th to celebrate Rio Grande Distillery and Magic Valley Moonshine opening. Courtesy Image
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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas – The South Padre Island and Port Isabel Chambers of Commerce joined together Thursday, June 16th to celebrate Rio Grande Distillery and Magic Valley Moonshine opening in Port Isabel with a Ribbon Cutting, and the turnout was AMAZING!
Thank you to everyone that attended to show their support to Jerrod Henry. Located in Lighthouse Square, this is definitely a place you want to check out! Thank you Jerrod for supporting both the South Padre Island and Port Isabel Chambers of Commerce, and most importantly, for your investment in our community!
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 to include use in children down to 6 months of age. Image for illustration purposes
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Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 to include use in children down to 6 months of age.
For the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, the FDA amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) to include use of the vaccine in individuals 6 months through 17 years of age. The vaccine had been authorized for use in adults 18 years of age and older.
For the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, the FDA amended the EUA to include use of the vaccine in individuals 6 months through 4 years of age. The vaccine had been authorized for use in individuals 5 years of age and older.
Key points:
The FDA’s evaluation and analysis of the safety, effectiveness and manufacturing data of these vaccines was rigorous and comprehensive, supporting the EUAs.
The agency determined that the known and potential benefits of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines outweigh the known and potential risks in the pediatric populations authorized for use for each vaccine.
Prior to making the decision to authorize these vaccines for the respective pediatric populations, the FDA’s independent Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee was consulted and voted in support of the authorizations.
“Many parents, caregivers and clinicians have been waiting for a vaccine for younger children and this action will help protect those down to 6 months of age. As we have seen with older age groups, we expect that the vaccines for younger children will provide protection from the most severe outcomes of COVID-19, such as hospitalization and death,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “Those trusted with the care of children can have confidence in the safety and effectiveness of these COVID-19 vaccines and can be assured that the agency was thorough in its evaluation of the data.”
The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is administered as a primary series of two doses, one month apart, to individuals 6 months through 17 years of age. The vaccine is also authorized to provide a third primary series dose at least one month following the second dose for individuals in this age group who have been determined to have certain kinds of immunocompromise.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is administered as a primary series of three doses in which the initial two doses are administered three weeks apart followed by a third dose administered at least eight weeks after the second dose in individuals 6 months through 4 years of age.
Information about each vaccine is available in the fact sheets for healthcare providers administering vaccine and the fact sheets for recipients and caregivers.
“As with all vaccines for any population, when authorizing COVID-19 vaccines intended for pediatric age groups, the FDA ensures that our evaluation and analysis of the data is rigorous and thorough,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “In addition to making certain the data for these vaccines met FDA’s rigorous standards, the agency’s convening of an advisory committee was part of a transparent process to help the public have a clear understanding of the safety and effectiveness data supporting the authorization of these two vaccines for pediatric populations.”
Evaluation of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine for Individuals 6 Months through 17 Years of Age
Effectiveness
The effectiveness and safety data evaluated and analyzed by the FDA for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to support the EUA for these pediatric populations were generated in two ongoing, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trials in the United States and Canada which enrolled infants, children and adolescents.
Children 6 months through 5 years of age: Immune responses of a subset of 230 children 6 through 23 months and a subset of 260 children 2 through 5 years of age who received a two-dose primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at 25 micrograms (mcg) of messenger RNA (mRNA) per dose were compared to immune responses among 290 adults 18 through 25 years who received two higher doses of the vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. In these FDA analyses, the immune response to the vaccine, of both age groups of children, was comparable to the immune response of the adults.
An analysis of cases of COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after the second dose among approximately 5,400 children in this age group without evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 was conducted during the time period in which the omicron variant was the predominant circulating strain. In this analysis, among participants 6 through 23 months of age, 64% of whom had blinded follow-up for more than two months after the second dose, the vaccine was 50.6% effective in preventing COVID-19. Among participants 2 through 5 years of age, 72% of whom had blinded follow-up for more than two months after the second dose, the vaccine was 36.8% effective in preventing COVID-19.
Children 6 years through 11 years of age: Immune responses of a subset of 320 children in this age group who received a two-dose primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at 50 mcg of mRNA per dose were compared to immune responses among 295 adults 18 through 25 years who received two higher doses of the vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. In the FDA analysis, the immune response of the children to the vaccine was comparable to the immune response of the adults. An additional analysis pertaining to the occurrence of COVID-19 cases was determined not to be reliable due to the low number of COVID-19 cases that occurred in study participants.
Adolescents 12 through 17 years of age: Immune responses of a subset of 340 adolescents in this age group who received a two-dose primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at 100 mcg of mRNA per dose were compared to immune responses among 296 adults 18 through 25 years who received two equivalent doses of the vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. In this analysis, the immune response of adolescents was comparable to the immune response of the older participants.
An analysis was also conducted of cases of COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after the second dose among approximately 3,000 adolescents in this age group without evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2, in which approximately 42% of participants had two or more months of blinded follow-up after the second dose. In this analysis, among participants 12 through 17 years of age, the vaccine was 93.3% effective in preventing COVID-19. The data for this analysis were obtained before the omicron variant became the predominant circulating strain.
Safety
The safety data to support the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine EUA in individuals 6 months through 17 years of age are as follows:
Children 6 months through 5 years of age: Safety was evaluated in approximately 1,700 children 6 through 23 months of age who received the vaccine and 600 who received the placebo. Of these, approximately 1,100 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the second dose. For participants 2 through 5 years of age, approximately 3,000 received the vaccine and approximately 1,000 received a placebo; approximately 2,200 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the second dose. In clinical trial participants 6 months through 5 years of age, the most commonly reported side effects across all age subgroups included pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fever and underarm (or groin) swelling/tenderness of lymph nodes in the same arm (or thigh) as the injection. In clinical trial participants 6 through 36 months of age, the most commonly reported side effects also included irritability/crying, sleepiness, and loss of appetite. In clinical trial participants 37 months through 5 years of age, the most commonly reported side effects also included fatigue, headache, muscle ache, chills, nausea/vomiting and joint stiffness.
Children 6 through 11 years of age: Safety was evaluated in approximately 3,000 children who received the vaccine and approximately 1,000 children who received placebo. The majority of vaccine recipients (98.7%) had at least two months of safety follow-up after their second dose.
Adolescents 12 through 17 years of age: Safety was evaluated in approximately 2,500 participants who received the vaccine and 1,200 who received placebo. The majority of vaccine recipients (95.6%) had at least six months of follow-up after the second dose.
The most commonly reported side effects in the clinical trial participants for both the 6 through 11 age group and the 12 through 17 age group who received the vaccine include, pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, underarm swollen lymph nodes in the same arm as the injection, nausea and vomiting and fever.
Evaluation of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 6 Months through 4 Years of Age
The effectiveness and safety data evaluated and analyzed by the FDA for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine were generated in an ongoing, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial in the United States and internationally, which enrolled infants and children.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness data to support the EUA in children 6 months through 4 years of age is based on a comparison of immune responses following three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in a subset of children in this age group to the immune responses among adults 16 through 25 years of age who received two higher doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. The study was conducted in two age subgroups. The immune response to the vaccine of approximately 80 children, 6 through 23 months of age, and approximately 140 children, 2 through 4 years of age, were compared to the immune response of approximately 170 of the older participants. In these FDA analyses, the immune response to the vaccine for both age groups of children was comparable to the immune response of the older participants. An additional analysis pertaining to the occurrence of COVID-19 cases was determined not to be reliable due to the low number of COVID-19 cases that occurred in study participants.
Safety
The available safety data to support the EUA in children 6 through 23 months of age include approximately 1,170 who received the vaccine and approximately 600 who received placebo; approximately 400 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the third dose. For the participants 2 through 4 years of age, approximately 1,800 received the vaccine and approximately 900 received placebo; approximately 600 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the third dose. The most commonly reported side effects in clinical trial participants 6 through 23 months of age who received the vaccine were irritability, decreased appetite, fever and pain, tenderness, redness and swelling at the injection site. These side effects were also reported for the vaccine recipients 2 through 4 years age, in addition to fever, headache, and chills.
Risks of Myocarditis and Pericarditis
The FDA and CDC safety surveillance systems have previously identified increased risks of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of tissue surrounding the heart) following vaccination with the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, particularly following the second dose. The observed risk is highest in males 18 through 24 years of age for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and in males 12 through 17 years of age for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.
The FDA and the CDC analyses of available safety surveillance data from the U.S. and other countries on myocarditis outcomes continue to strengthen the evidence that most cases of myocarditis associated with the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are characterized by rapid resolution of symptoms following conservative management, with no impact on quality of life reported by most patients who were contacted for follow-up at 90 days or more after reporting myocarditis. The risks of myocarditis and pericarditis are described in the fact sheets for each of these vaccines.
Ongoing Safety Monitoring
As part of their original EUA requests, both ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc. submitted plans to continue to monitor the safety of the vaccines as they are used under EUA. These plans for monitoring the overall safety of the vaccines and ensuring that any safety concerns are identified and evaluated in a timely manner, and which include monitoring for myocarditis and pericarditis, have been updated to include the newly authorized populations. In addition, longer-term safety follow-up is ongoing for participants enrolled in the clinical trials for both vaccines. Furthermore, the FDA and the CDC have several systems in place to continually monitor COVID-19 vaccine safety and allow for the timely detection and investigation of potential safety concerns.
It is mandatory for both ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc., as well as vaccination providers, to report the following to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for these two COVID-19 vaccines: serious adverse events, cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome and cases of COVID-19 that result in hospitalization or death. It is also mandatory for vaccination providers to report all vaccine administration errors to VAERS for which they become aware and for vaccine manufacturers to include a summary and analysis of all identified vaccine administration errors in monthly safety reports submitted to the FDA.
The EUA amendment for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine was issued to ModernaTX Inc. and the EUA amendment for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine was issued to Pfizer Inc.
In the very early hours of the morning on Saturday, June 11, about a dozen staff and volunteers met up at the shelter and loaded up pets and took them to the airport to meet with our partners from Bissell Pet Foundation. Courtesy Images
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In the very early hours of the morning on Saturday, June 11, about a dozen staff and volunteers met up at the shelter and loaded up pets and took them to the airport to meet with our partners from Bissell Pet Foundation.
In addition to shelter pets, foster homes also brought in dozens of fosters to join in the flight. In all, nearly 100 pets left via air transport to rescues in New York and the surrounding areas, including Toronto, Canada!
Air transport is incredibly expensive, costing Bissell and Petsmart about $35,000 per flight. Every year, we send just as many pets out to partner groups as we send out to local adoptive homes, so these flights are vital to our lifesaving programs.
We are incredibly grateful for the partnership with these organizations!In order to fly, each pet must have an airline crate, and we’ve had HUNDREDS of crates donated by the community. For last week’s flight, we coordinated with our friends at Cuddly and received more than 125 crates.
What crates we didn’t use on the flight will be used on upcoming flights on June 18th with our other air transport partners, Dog is My Copilot! We are always in need of crates for both transport and our foster care program, so if you have any extra sitting around, we’d gladly them off your hands.
Just drop them off at our Trenton Center (2501 W. Trenton Rd) or Andrews Center (2451 N US Expressway 281) any time between 11-7 any day of the week!
